10 kilometres from the village Hafnir on your way to Reykjanes lighthouse, lies a series of craters, formed in the 1200s. The row of craters is around 4 km long, and the lava field they produced around 4.6 km2. Two craters are closest to the road and by walking 300 meters you are on top of the closest one with a breathtaking view of the pahoehoe lava field below and the Atlantic Ocean. The area is quite mystical, and you feel like you are on the moon or a distant planet. The lava lies in valleys, hallows, and beautiful formations all around. You can easily walk from the parking lot around the craters but there is no obvious path, and the area is very sensitive and should be treated as such.
Accessibility
The location is just by the main road. A 300-meter walk in sand and lava is needed to get close to the craters. This walk is easy, even if a path is not obvious.
Services nearby
This location is in Reykjanesbær municipality and only 20 minutes from Keflavík so hotels, gas stations and convenience stores are in abundance. Nearest hospital is also in Keflavík.
Permits
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Basecamp and facilities
The craters lie 300 meters from a small parking lot that can be used as tech base. However, 2.5 kilometres away is a bigger lot, suitable for big basecamps, in Sandvík. There are no facilities at the location. Contacting a park ranger is advised, before you enter with heavy equipment and make paths in the sand. Phone coverage is excellent at this location.
Risk factors
The pahoehoe lava and sand dunes can be difficult to work in and tiresome. The ground is a mixture of sand, tuff and scoria cones, so taking care where you walk is necessary.
The craters are volcanic rock and tuff so slipping is a hazard.
Visitors
The area is a low tourist attraction and those who stop and take a look at the craters tend to stay only for a short while. With a park ranger, the area could be closed off easily with minimum manpower.
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